Swansea City clinches 2-1 win at QPR after disputed penalty

Suara Pecari – 22 April 2026 | Swansea City secured a 2-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road on Tuesday, with a late penalty by Zan Vipotnik deciding the match. The win marks Swansea’s second consecutive away triumph in the Championship.

Ronald opened the scoring after just two minutes, capitalising on a defensive mix‑up that saw Steve Cook mis‑communicate with Rhys Norrington‑Davies. His goal, the striker’s first in 41 appearances, gave the visitors an early foothold.

QPR responded quickly, with Rayan Kolli forcing a wide effort nine minutes later and Isaac Hayden testing Swansea keeper Lawrence Vigouroux with a low shot. Joe Walsh also made a series of saves, denying Sam Parker and Leo Walta before the interval.

In the second half, Swansea maintained pressure, creating chances through Gonçalo Franco, Leo Walta and Josh Tymon, all of which were parried by QPR goalkeeper Walsh. Substitute Zan Vipotnik, who entered the game from the bench, threatened the opposition with a free‑kick that flew over the bar.

The decisive moment arrived in the 80th minute when Eom Jisung appeared to be tackled outside the penalty area by Tylon Smith, yet referee Leigh Doughty ruled the foul inside the box and pointed to the spot. Vipotnik converted the spot‑kick without hesitation, taking his 24th goal of the season across all competitions.

Swansea captain Rhys Norrington‑Davies added a late equaliser when he headed Paul Smyth’s rebound past Vigouroux in the 90th minute, but the Swans held on for the win. Manager Vitor Matos praised his side’s resilience, saying, ‘We kept belief and fought for every ball, the penalty was unfortunate for QPR but we deserved the points.’

The result lifts Swansea to 10th place in the Championship table, confirming a rare run of back‑to‑back away victories after a season‑long slump. QPR, meanwhile, slip to 12th and see their winless streak extend to four matches.

The match also reignited debate over the absence of VAR in the league, as the contentious decision could have been reviewed had video assistance been available. EFL officials had announced earlier that clubs voted against introducing VAR for the current season.

Both teams will look ahead to their next fixtures, with Swansea hoping to build momentum toward a top‑ten finish and QPR seeking to halt their downturn. The narrow margin underscores how a single decision can shape outcomes in a tightly contested division.